http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?action=history&feed=atom&title=Rob_TalbotRob Talbot - Revision history2026-05-15T04:13:12ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.43.1http://debianws.lexgopc.com/wiki143/index.php?title=Rob_Talbot&diff=5697651&oldid=previmported>Schwede66: fix citation2022-02-14T22:26:57Z<p>fix citation</p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>{{short description|New Zealand politician}}<br />
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{{Use New Zealand English|date=March 2014}}<br />
'''Robert Leslie Gapper Talbot''' {{post-nominals|country=NZL|QSO}} (18 October 1923 – 13 December 2012) was a New Zealand politician who represented the [[New Zealand National Party|National Party]] as a [[Member of Parliament]]. A [[Robert Muldoon|Muldoon]] loyalist,<ref name="TH obit">{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/timaru-herald/news/8115292/Rob-Talbot-dies-top-advocate-for-Sth-Canty | title= Rob Talbot dies, top advocate for Sth Canty | date=22 December 2012 | work=[[The Timaru Herald]] | access-date=15 March 2015 | first=Mike | last=Crean}}</ref> he was a cabinet minister from 1981 to 1984 in the [[Third National Government of New Zealand|Third National Government]], serving as [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General]] and [[Minister of Tourism (New Zealand)|Minister of Tourism]].<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.parliament.nz/en-nz/pb/debates/debates/50HansD_20130129_00000004/obituaries-—-hon-robert-leslie-gapper-talbot-qso |title=Obituaries — Hon Robert Leslie Gapper Talbot QSO |date=29 January 2013 |website=www.parliament.nz/ |publisher=NZ House of Representatives |access-date=15 March 2014}}</ref><br />
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==Early life and family==<br />
Born in [[Temuka]] on 18 October 1923, Talbot was the son of Elsie and Leslie Talbot.<ref name="HBTQ">{{cite book |last1=Taylor |first1=Alister |last2=Coddington |first2=Deborah |author-link1=Alister Taylor |author-link2=Deborah Coddington |title=Honoured by the Queen – New Zealand |year=1994 |publisher=New Zealand Who's Who Aotearoa |location=Auckland |isbn=0-908578-34-2 |page=358}}</ref> He was educated at [[Waitaki Boys' High School]].<ref name="HBTQ"/> In 1947, Talbot married Anne Sandston, and the couple had three children.<ref name="HBTQ"/><br />
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==Member of Parliament==<br />
{{NZ parlbox header|nolist=true}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=[[Ashburton (New Zealand electorate)|Ashburton]]<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1966}}|end=1969|term=35th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=[[South Canterbury (New Zealand electorate)|South Canterbury]]<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1969}}|end=1972|term=36th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=South Canterbury<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1972}}|end=1975|term=37th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=South Canterbury<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1975}}|end=1978|term=38th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=Ashburton<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1978}}|end=1981|term=39th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=Ashburton<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1981}}|end=1984|term=40th}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox|party=New Zealand National Party<br />
|electorate=Ashburton<br />
|start={{NZ election link year|1984}}|end=1987|term=41st}}<br />
{{NZ parlbox footer}}<br />
Talbot represented the [[Ashburton (New Zealand electorate)|Ashburton]] electorate in Parliament from 1966 to 1969, then the [[South Canterbury (New Zealand electorate)|South Canterbury]] electorate from 1969 to 1978, and then the [[Ashburton (New Zealand electorate)|Ashburton]] electorate again from 1978 until his retirement in 1987 whereupon he was replaced by [[Jenny Shipley]].<br />
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As Postmaster-General he signed off on New Zealand's first cellular network in 1983.<ref>{{cite news | url=http://www.stuff.co.nz/dominion-post/archive/national-news/529494/It-beats-the-brick-says-Rob | title=It beats the brick, says Rob | date=12 July 2008 | work=[[The Dominion Post (Wellington)|The Dominion Post]] | access-date=15 March 2014 | first=Greer | last=McDonald}}</ref> In 1984, at a time when the use of Māori phrases was as yet uncommon in New Zealand, an Auckland telephone operator, [[Naida Glavish]], was instructed to stop using "[[kia ora]]" when greeting callers after the post office had received a complaint. She refused to do so and was consequently stood down, with the whole affair attracting much public interest. Talbot, as Postmaster-General, is credited with successfully convincing the [[Prime Minister of New Zealand|Prime Minister]], [[Robert Muldoon]], to overturn that prohibition.<ref name="TH obit" /><br />
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==Later life and death==<br />
On 4 July 2007, Talbot was awarded a Certificate of Appreciation from former [[United States Ambassador to New Zealand]] [[William McCormick (diplomat)|Bill McCormick]] for his efforts in fostering positive relations between the United States and New Zealand during his tenure with the [[New Zealand American Association]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Ambassador Bill McCormick remarks for 4th July |url=https://photos.state.gov/libraries/newzealand/19965/4jul2007/july_4_wgtn_remarks.pdf | date=4 July 2007 |website=photos.state.gov/ |publisher=Office of Public Affairs, US Embassy, Wellington | access-date=15 March 2014}}</ref><br />
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Talbot died on 13 December 2012 in [[Wellington]]. His wife Anne had died before him. He was survived by partner, Wilhelmina Pondman, one son, and two daughters.<ref name="TH obit" /><br />
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==Honours and awards==<br />
In 1977, Talbot was awarded the [[Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal]], and in 1990 he received the [[New Zealand 1990 Commemoration Medal]].<ref name="HBTQ"/> In the [[1991 Birthday Honours (New Zealand)|1991 Queen's Birthday Honours]], Talbot was appointed a [[Queen's Service Order|Companion of the Queen's Service Order]] for public services.<ref>{{London Gazette |issue=52564 |date=15 June 1991 |page=31 |supp=2}}</ref><br />
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==References==<br />
{{Reflist}}<br />
*{{cite book |last= Wilson |first= James Oakley |title= New Zealand Parliamentary Record, 1840–1984 |edition= 4th |orig-year=First published in 1913 |year= 1985 |publisher=V.R. Ward, Govt. Printer |location= Wellington |oclc=154283103 }}<br />
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{{s-start}}<br />
{{s-off}}<br />
{{s-bef | before = [[John Falloon]]}}<br />
{{s-ttl | title = [[Postmaster-General (New Zealand)|Postmaster-General]] | years=1982–1984}}<br />
{{s-aft | after = [[Jonathan Hunt (New Zealand politician)|Jonathan Hunt]]}}<br />
{{s-par | nz}}<br />
{{s-bef | before= [[Geoff Gerard (politician)|Geoff Gerard]]}}<br />
{{s-ttl | rows = 2 | title= [[Ashburton (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for Ashburton]]| years=1966–1969<br>1978–1987}}<br />
{{s-vac | abeyance | next = himself}}<br />
|-<br />
{{s-vac | abeyance | last = himself}}<br />
{{s-aft | after = [[Jenny Shipley]]}}<br />
{{s-new | constituency}}<br />
{{s-ttl | title=[[South Canterbury (New Zealand electorate)|Member of Parliament for South Canterbury]] | years=1969–1978}}<br />
{{s-non | reason=Constituency abolished}}<br />
{{End}}<br />
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Talbot, Rob}}<br />
[[Category:1923 births]]<br />
[[Category:2012 deaths]]<br />
[[Category:New Zealand National Party MPs]]<br />
[[Category:Members of the Cabinet of New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:Members of the New Zealand House of Representatives]]<br />
[[Category:New Zealand MPs for South Island electorates]]<br />
[[Category:Companions of the Queen's Service Order]]<br />
[[Category:People from Ashburton, New Zealand]]<br />
[[Category:People from Temuka]]<br />
[[Category:People educated at Waitaki Boys' High School]]</div>imported>Schwede66